Selective drum printer with pawl means to lock the type wheel in selected position

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for marking a plate member at a preselected location and to impress selected characters on opposite sides of the mark. A bridge member spans a layout table and is movably supported on a pair of rails secured to the table sides so that the bridge member is movable longitudinally along the layout table. A turret assembly is movably supported on the bridge member and is movable longitudinally thereon and transversely relative to the layout table. The turret assembly includes a marking head assembly that is movable vertically toward and away from the plate positioned on the layout table. The marking head assembly includes a central support member with a punch member extending downwardly therefrom and a pair of marking wheels rotatably supported on opposite sides of said support member. The marking wheels have a plurality of raised characters positioned at spaced intervals along the outer periphery. The marking wheels are rotated by means of a driven worm gear assembly and a pawl ratchet assembly. A fixed commutator wheel is associated with each marking wheel and has separate commutators for each character on the marking wheel. Separate fixed and movable commutator wheels complete an electrical circuit through a remotely closed switch circuit and the commutator for a selected numeral on the marking wheel. The circuit remotely controls the drive for rotating the marking wheel and stops the wheel when the selected numeral is in a marking position.

ilte' beats te Beck SELECTIVE DRUM PRINTER WITH-ll PAWL MEANS TO LOCK THE TYPE WHEEL 1N SELECTED POSITION [75] lnventor: Norman A. Beck, Ellicott City, Md. [73] Assignee: Koppel-s Company, lnc., Pittsburgh,

[22 Filed: Sept. 20, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 181,747

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 6,201, Jan. 27, 1970, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl. ..101/l10,101/95,101/4 [51] Int. Cl. ..B41j 7/48 [58] Field of Search ..101/93 C, 95, 97, 101/109, 110

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,379,075 4/1968 Harrison ..l0l/95 X 3,141,402 7/1964 Howard ..l0l/llOX 3,156,181 11/1964 Dubin ..l()l/ll0 1,746,516 2/1930 Boyer 2,766,687 lO/l956 Williams... 2,818,801 l/1958 Hart et al...

923,074 5/1909 Pollock 101/1 10 Assistant Examiner-15. M. Coven Att0meyBoyce C. Dent et a1.

1 5 7 1 ABSTRACT Apparatus for marking a plate member at a preselected location and to impress selected characters on opposite sides of the mark. A bridge member spans a layout table and is movably supported on a pair of rails secured to the table sides so that the bridge member is movable longitudinally along the layout table. A turret assembly is movably supported on the bridge member and is movable longitudinally thereon and transversely relative to the layout table. The turret assembly includes a marking head assembly that is movable vertically toward and away from the plate positioned on the layout table. The marking head assembly includes a central support member with a punch member extending downwardly therefrom and a pair of marking wheels rotatably supported on opposite sides of said support member. The marking wheels have a plurality of raised characters positioned at spaced intervals along the outer periphery. The marking wheels are rotated by means of a driven worm gear assembly and a pawl ratchet assembly. A fixed commutator wheel is associated with each marking wheel and has separate commutators for each character on the marking wheel. Separate fixed and movable commutator wheels complete an electrical circuit through a remotely closed switch circuit and the commutator for a selected numeral on the marking wheel. The circuit remotely controls the drive for rotating the marking wheel and stops the wheel when the selected numeral is in a marking position.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 3,730,085

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TT5= E Patented May 1, 1973 3,730,085

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I II SELECTIVE DRUM PRINTER WITH PAWL MEANS TO LOCK'TI'IE TYPE WHEEL IN SELECTED POSITION This is a division of application Ser. No. 6201, filed Jan. 27, 1970 and now U.S.Pat. No. 3633498.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a remotely controlled marking device and more particularly to a marking device wherein the relative position of the marking wheel thereon is controlled by an electric circuit through the marking wheel.

2. Description of the Prior Art Remotely controlled marking devices such as those illustrated in US Pat. Nos. 2,8l8,0l4 and 3,012,688 are used to mark slabs, billets or the like. The marking heads are positioned on arms or support devices and the location of the marks impressed on the article are dependent on the locationof the article relative to the marking device. Mechanical means are employed to control the positioning of the marking wheels to posi tion the desired characters in the marking position.

Where a plurality of different operations such as drilling holes of different diameters, cutting along a given arcuate line and the like are to be performed on a plate, it is highly desirable to mark the locations on the plate where all of the desired operations are to be performed and to indicate at each location the type of operation to be performed at that specific location. In the past, marking the location on the plate where the different operations were to be performed was accomplished by a conventional punch. The type of operation to be performed at each location was either performed at the time of marking or manually indicated on the plate. Either procedure was time consuming and subject to error. There is a need for apparatus to remotely mark the locations where a given operation is to be performed and to also remotely indicate by a numerical code the type of operation to be performed at'that location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hereinafter described invention is directed to a turret assembly that is accurately positioned in overlying relation to a desired location on a plate. A plurality of marking wheels on the marking head of the turret assembly are remotely rotated and are arranged to stop with a preselected character in marking position on opposite sides of a punch on the marking head. The marking head is moved downwardly into abutting relation with the plate and impresses both a punch mark and characters adjacent the punch mark to indicate the type of operation to be performed at that location. The marking head has a drive means to rotate the marking wheels and an electrical control device is provided to stop the drive means when the selected character is in marking position.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a remotely controlled marking device that both marks a plate and impresses remotely selected characters at a location adjacent the mark.

Another object of this invention is to provide a remotely controlled electrical device in the marking heads to stop the marking wheel when the preselected character is in marking position.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the layout table with the turret assembly movably positioned thereon.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the lines II-Il of FIG. 1 illustrating the manner in which the turret assembly is supported on the transverse rails.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in front elevation of the turret assembly.

FIG. 4 is a view in section and in front elevation taken along the lines IVIV in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation and partially in section of the marking head portion of the turret assembly taken along the line VV of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in plan of the underside of the turret assembly illustrating the marking wheels on opposite sides of the punch member taken along the lines VIVI of FIG. 3?.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a layout table generally designated by the numeral 10 that includes a plurality of electromagnets 12 in the base of the table 10. The electromagnets are arranged to magnetically engage and secure a metallic work plate to the upper surface of the table 10 in a preselected position and maintain the work plate in that position while the turret assembly generally designated by the numeral 14 is moved to various preselected positions above the work plate. At these positions the turret is arranged to both punch and mark the-work plate.

The table 10 has a pair of parallel rails 16 extending longitudinally along the sides of the table with a bridge member 18 movably supported on the rails 16 by wheels 20. A propelling means (not shown) is arranged to move the bridge member 18 on the rails 16 longitudinally along the table 10 to various locations above the work plate secured to the base or bed of the table 10. The bridge 18 has a pair of rails 22 extendingtransversely to the table 10 with the turret assembly 14 movably supported on rails 22 by wheels 24. Suitable propelling means is provided to move the turret assembly 14 along the rails 22 to position the turret assembly 14 at preselected transverse locations above the work plate secured to the table 10.

With this arrangement, longitudinal movement of the bridge 18 positions the turret 14 at preselected X locations on the work plate. The transverse movement of the turret 14 relative to the table 10 and the work plate positioned thereon is accomplished by the movement of the turret 14 along the rails 22 to thus position the turret assembly 14 at preselected Y locations above the work plate. The positioning of the turret 14 above the work plate at preselected X and Y locations may be accomplished by manual control or may be controlled by tapes, cards or other automated programmed control devices.

A feed-back system is provided for a visual indication of the exact X and -Y location of the turret assembly. Any suitable feed-back system may be'employed, such as the Emmerson Electric Accra-Count position indicator used for machine tools. Such a feedback system includes a spur toothed rack mounted along one of the rails 16 with a spur gear rotatably mounted on the bridge member 18 in meshing relation with the spur toothed rack. The rotation of the gear drives a pulse generator which electrically drives a read-out counter at a remote control station. The

counter may be designed to read in inches or other suitable dimension indicating digits. A similar arrangement may be used to visually indicate the position of the turret member 14 on the bridge 18.

With this arrangement, an operator can rapidly position the turret at a preselected X and Y location on the table above the work plate secured to the table 10. At the preselected location as will be later described, the operator through suitable electric controls, rotates the marking wheels on the turret 14 to position preselected numbers on the wheels in marking position. Byother controls a portion of the turret is moved downwardly and impresses a punch mark at the preselected location by means of a punch and also imprints characters on opposite sides of the punch mark. The characters on opposite sides of the punch mark may be used to indicate the type of metal finishing operation to be performed at that specific location on the plate. Y

The turret assembly 14 includes an upper plate 26 that is maintained at a fixed elevation above the table and has depending flange portions 28 to which the wheels 24 are rotatably secured. The plate 26 has four spaced post apertures 30 with posts 32 of the marking head assembly 34 extending therethrough.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, depending guide sleeve members 36 are secured to the underside of the plate 26 to rigidify the assembly and provide elongated passageways through which the posts 32 extend. A piston cylinder assembly 38 has a cylinder 40 secured to a horizontal marking head mounting plate 42 of the mounting plate 42 and at the other end to the turret mounting plate 26 is arranged to extend and retract the piston rod 44 within the cylinder 40 and thus move the marking head assembly 34 vertically. The piston cylinder head assembly 38 is preferably an air cylinder, although other servomechanisms may be used. An auxiliary cylinder may be provided (not shown) to exert added force on the marking head assembly 34 to drive and impress the punch mark and the code numbers in the work plate. Where desired, the piston cylinder assembly 38 may be employed to both lower the marking head assembly and to also apply sufficient force to the punch and marking wheels to impress the punch mark and characters into the surface of the work plate.

The marking head assembly generally designated by the numeral 34 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 and includes a horizontal plate support member 42 with a depending central vertical support member 50 secured thereto by means of bolt members 52. The vertical support 50 has an arcuate lower end portion 54 with a punch member 56 secured therein. The punch member is arranged upon lowering of the marking head assembly 34 to impress a punch mark in the plate member secured to the upper surface of table 10.

The vertical support 50 has a transverse passageway 58 therethrough through which extends a support shaft 60. The shaft 60 is arranged to support a pair of rotatable marking wheels generally designated by the numeral 62 on opposite sides of the vertical support member 50. The marking wheels 62 are similar in construction and have a body portion 64 with a transverse passageway 66 therethrough. The support shaft 60 extends through the passageway 66 and rotatably supports the marking wheel 62 thereon. Bearings 68 are positioned between the shaft 60 and the wheel body portion 64 and the marking wheel 62 is maintained on nular ratchet wheel secured thereto by the same' bolts 78. An annular worm wheel 82 is secured to the marking wheel body portion64 by a snap ring 84.. With this arrangement, the number wheel 74, ratchet wheel 80 and worm wheel 82 are secured to and rotate with the ratchet wheel body portion 64. The marking wheel 62 has an annular end ring member 86 with a conductor ring 88 therein secured to the outer end of the wheel body portion by bolts 90 (FIG. 4) so that the rings 86 and 88 rotate with the marking wheel.

A contactor wheel 92 is rotatably supported on anarm member 94 that is pivotally secured on pin 96 extending from ring 86. The arm member 94 and pin member are arranged to provide a current path from wheel 92 to conductor ring 88. A spring member 98 urges the contactor wheel 92 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4.

A pawl 100 is pivotally supported at one end by a bell crank lever 102. A pawl drive motor 104 is suitably secured to the horizontal support plate 42 and has a shaft 106 connected to lever 102. With this arrangement, rotation of the pawl drive motor shaft 106 rotates the pawl 100 to move the pawl end portion 108' toward and away from the ratchet wheel teeth 110 so that when the pawl member is in the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the marking wheel 62 is nonrotatably fixed relative to the shaft 60 and maintains the preselected character in a locked marking position.

A worm gear 112 is suitably supported in a housing 1 14 which is, in turn, supported on the horizontal plate members 42. The worm gear 112 meshes with the worm gear 82 secured to the marking wheel body portion 64 so that rotation of the marking wheel 62 is dependent on the rotation of the worm gear 112. The worm gear 112 is secured to a shaft 116 that is, in turn,

secured to the drive shaft 118 of an air motor 120. With this arrangement, actuation of air motor 120 rotates the worm 112 which, because of its meshing relation with the worm gear 82, rotates the marking wheel 62.

An end enclosure or cover 122 is secured to the housing 114 and remains in fixed nonrotatable relation relative to the marking wheel 62. Positioned within the enclosure 122 is an annular fixed commutator ring 124 that has a plurality of commutators 126 formed therein. A separate commutator 126 is provided on the fixed commutator wheel 124 for each character on the marking wheel 62. A conductor wire is connected to each commutator 126 and the conductors are gathered into a single conduit that extends to a remote operators console where each conductor wire forms a separate circuit with a separate switch. The circuits are arranged to stop the air motor 120 and also to energize and deenergize the pawl drive motor 104.

The commutator ring 124 has an inner cylindrical surface 128 and the commutators 126 each have a surface 130 that forms a part of the inner cylindrical surface 128 of commutator ring 124. There are positioned around the commutator ring 124 the same number of commutators 126 as there are characters 76 on the marking wheel 64. The commutator ring 124 with the commutators 126 thereon remains fixed and does not rotate with the marking wheel 62.

The contactor wheel 92 secured to the ring 86 of marking wheel body portion 64 rotates with the marking wheel 62 and rides along the inner cylindrical surface 128 of the commutator ring 124 into conducting relation with the respective commutators 126 depending upon the relative position of the marking wheel. The contactor wheel 92 rotates with the marking wheel 62. For example, viewing FIG. 4, clockwise rotation of the marking wheel 62 would move the contactor wheel 92 in a clockwise direction therewith so that a current path or circuit between the respective contactor and the contactor wheel 92 would be completed depending upon the relative position of the contactor wheel 92 on the fixed commutator ring 124. The relative position of the contactor wheel 92 is dependent on the relative position of the marking wheel 62 on shaft 60 which in turn determines the marking character 76 in the marking position. As illustrated in FIG. 3, separate conductors 132 are connected to each contactor and extend outwardly through the enclosure 122 to a remote control panel (not shown). Thus each of the contactors forms a part of a separate circuit with a remotely located separate switch. To complete the circuit through the contactor, the remotely located switch in that circuit must be closed.

A second contactor wheel 134 is rotatably supported on a shaft 136 that is secured to the commutator ring 124. A conductor suitably connects the shaft 136 with a source of current so that current will be conducted through shaft 136 to the second contactor wheel 134. A current path is provided from wheel 134 through conductor ring 88 and to the wheel 92. When the switch between the source of current and a particular commutator 126 is closed, the circuit is completed when the wheel 92 is in contact with the particular commutator surface 130. With this arrangement, the selection of a particular character to be in marking position is made at the remote location and the switch is closed. When the wheel 92 secured to the contactor 62 rotates to a position where it is in contact with the particular commutator 126 for the particular character, the circuit is completed. With this arrangement, the completed circuit is utilized to engage or disengage the pawl to the ratchet wheel 80 or to deenergize rotation of the worm gear 112.

OPERATION The previously described apparatus for marking a plate member at a preselected location and to impress preselected characters on the plate at the preselected location operates in the following manner. The plate is positioned and oriented on the layout table 10 and is secured thereto by means of electromagnets 12. The turret assembly 14 is moved longitudinally along the layout table 10 on'rails 16 to a preselected X location as controlled by the feed-back system. The turret assembly 14 is then moved-transversely along the bridge member 18 to position the marking head assembly 34 in a preselected Y location.

The character on each of the marking wheels 62 is selected in the following manner. The air motor is energized to rotate the worm gear 112 to thus rotate the worm wheel 82 on the marking wheel 62 so that the characters 76 on the marking wheel rotate about the shaft 60. The air motor 120 and pawl drive motor 104 are suitably controlled by an electric circuit that includes a separate circuit for each of the commutators 126. At the remote control station separate switches are provided for each of the numbers on the periphery of the marking wheel. A character is selected by closing the switch at the control station that is in the circuit with the commutator 126 that relates to the selected character so that a current path is provided from the selected commutator. The air motor continues to rotate the marking wheel 62 by rotation of the worm gear 112 until the commutator wheel 92 is in overlying relation with the arcuate surface 30 of the activated commutator 126. The circuit through the closed switch is then completed through the commutator wheel 136, conductor ring 86, commutator wheel 92 and activated commutator 126. The completion of the circuit actuates a suitable device such as a solenoid and deenergizes the air motor 120. The marking wheel 62 is then positioned with the preselected numeral or character in marking position. The pawl member moves into overlying relation with a tooth of the ratchet wheel and locks the marking wheel in position. The air drive means is then actuated for the piston cylinder assembly 38 to thus move the marking head assembly downwardly so that the punch 56 impresses a punch mark in the plate and the marking wheels impress the preselected numerals or characters on opposite sides of the punch. With this arrangement, it is possible to first accurately locate a predetermined position on a plate and to remotely select independent characters or numbers on marking wheels positioned on opposite sides of the .punch and to thereafter impress the preselected characters on the plate on opposite sides of the punch mark.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of the invention have been explained and its best embodiments have been illustrated and described.

However, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A marking device comprising,

a support member,

a marking wheel having a plurality of characters arranged in spaced relation to each other around the outer periphery, said marking wheel rotatably mounted on said support member,

said marking wheel having a peripheral gear portion extending around the circumference thereof,

a drive gear meshing with said gear portion and operable upon rotation to rotate said marking wheel,

drive means connected to said drive gear and operable to rotate said drive gear,

said marking wheel having a peripheral ratchet portion extending around the circumference thereof,

a pawl member pivotally secured to said support member and movable into engagement with said ratchet portion for locking said marking wheel in a fixed position on said support member following rotation of said marking wheel to a preselected marking position,

second drive means for moving said pawl member into and out of engagement with said ratchet portion, and

control means for consecutively:

actuating said drive means until said marking wheel reaches a preselected marking position; and foractuating said second drive means until said pawl member is in locking engagement with said ratchet portion.

2. A marking device as set forth in claim 1 in which said control means include,

a plurality of fixed contactors positioned on said support member in nonrotatable relation to said marking wheel, and

a movable contactorsecured to said marking wheel and rotatable therewith,

said movable contactor operable upon rotation to abut said fixed contactors and provide a current path therebetween.

3. A marking device as set forth in claim 2 which includes,

a conductor ring on said marking whe'el periphery,

a fixed conductor secured to said support member and positioned in current conducting relation with said conductor ring, said movable contactor connected to said conductor ring to provide a current path from said fixed conductor through said con ortion of said annular surface, said movable contactor comprising an arm member pivotally connected at one end to said marking wheel and having a wheel member rotatably secured to the other end, and

resilient means urging said contactor wheel member into abutting relation with said annular surface so that said movable contactor upon rotation of said marking wheel sequentially moves into-conducting relation with said fixed contactors. 

1. A marking device comprising, a support member, a marking wheel having a plurality of characters arranged in spaced relation to each other around the outer periphery, said marking wheel rotatably mounted on said support member, said marking wheel having a peripheral gear portion extending around the circumference thereof, a drive gear meshing with said gear portion and operable upon rotation to rotate said marking wheel, drive means connected to said drive gear and operable to rotate said drive gear, said marking wheel having a peripheral ratchet portion extending around the circumference thereof, a pawl member pivotally secured to said support member and movable into engagement with said ratchet portion for locking said marking wheel in a fixed position on said support member following rotation of said marking wheel to a preselected marking position, second drive means for moving said pawl member into and out of engagement with said ratchet portion, and control means for consecutively: actuating said drive means until said marking wheel reaches a preselected marking position; and for actuating said second drive means until said pawl member is in locking engagement with said ratchet portion.
 2. A marking device as set forth in claim 1 in which said control means include, a plurality of fixed contactors positioned on said support member in nonrotatable relation to said marking wheel, and a movable contactor secured to said marking wheel and rotatable therewith, said movable contactor operable upon rotation to abut said fixed contactors and provide a current path therebetween.
 3. A marking device as set forth in claim 2 which includes, a conductor ring on said marking wheel periphery, a fixed conductor secured to said support member and positioned in current conducting relation with said conductor ring, said movable contactor connected to said conductor ring to provide a current path from said fixed conductor through said conductor ring to said movable contactor.
 4. A marking device as set forth in claim 3 which includes, a housing member fixedly secured to said support member and forming a part thereof, said housing member having an annular surface positioned coaxially with said marking wheel, said fixed contactors embedded in said annular surface in spaced relation therearound, each contactor having an arcuate surface portion forming a portion of said annular surface, said movable contactor comprising an arm member pivotally connected at one end to said marking wheel and having a wheel member rotatably secured to the other end, and resilient means urging said contactor wheel member into abutting relation with said annular surface so that said movable contactor upon rotation of said marking wheel sequentially moves into conducting relation with said fixed contactors. 